The Crazy Games
by poet84
Summary: In Panem Mental Institution, victims of the 'Tracker Jacker' drug are cared for by Dr. Haymitch Abernathy who fights to bring them out of the horrifying alternate reality that they have created for themselves. Will it be enough or will two of the victims be the only ones who can end the nightmares? *Not sure about the summary, it may change*
1. Chapter 1

*Okay so I just got this idea in my head and wanted to see what you guys thought. I know it is short, but it is basically just an intro chapter. I'm hoping the rest of the chapters will be longer*

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games and am not making any money off of this work. I do not own the characters, only the plot is mine.**

Dr. Haymitch Abernathy stood in the small room staring at the young woman strapped to the table in front of him. She was admitted into Panem Mental Institution by her parents after she was found curled up into a ball screaming about the 'Capital' trying to kill her. Apparently, she had been experimenting with a new drug that the kids call 'Tracker Jacker' which alters your perception of reality.

She wasn't the first patient of his to suffer from delusions brought on by the drug. He had an entire group that suffered from the same condition which included nightmares, including other patients and members of the staff into their fantasy worlds, and after the first few sessions he had been forced to separate them all because they had begun weaving their twisted delusions together causing them to believe that reality was nothing but a creation of the game makers in order to throw them off. One of his patients even went so far as to try to kill another in their group in order to "win the hunger games" so that they could go home.

He was still unsure how all of his patients were able to create the same world through their delusions even before they were brought together. There was always a similar underlying fantasy that victims of the 'Tracker Jacker' drug experienced. They all believed that they had been reaped into something called the "Hunger Games" and that in order to win they had to murder all the other kids in the arena with them.

The only success that he had managed was with one of the boys who believed him to be some kind of mentor, here to help him win the games. None of the other kids had even tried to reach out to him, but this kid Peeta did. Several times he believed that he had broken through the delusions, only to come back the next day and all of his progress is gone.

There was movement from the table in front of him where his newest patient was stirring. Her gray eyes opened and locked with his, "Hello Miss Everdeen, I'm Dr. Abernathy. You can call me Haymitch."

"Are you here to help me?" she asked.

He smiled. Maybe they got to this one in time and she would be easier to convince than he expected, "Yes I am. Do you know why you're here?"

"Yes. I volunteered to take my sister's place. It was her name on the card, but I couldn't let her go. She couldn't survive the Hunger Games. Are you my mentor?"

His smile faded, but the fact that she called him her mentor was something. Maybe she would be like Peeta, "The Hunger Games aren't real, Katniss. You are in the Panem Mental Institution. You were brought here after taking a drug called 'Tracker Jacker' do you remember that?"

She started to struggle against the straps holding her down. He called one of the orderlies in to sedate her because there was now blood trickling down her wrists. He watched as her movements slowed and her face smoothed out. Her dark brown hair was splayed out across her pillow, but her fists never unclenched. It was like even in sleep she was fighting against something.

*Please let me know what you think. I'm continuing no matter what, but it would be nice to know if you like it*


	2. Chapter 2

*Okay so I wouldn't expect me to post this fast all of the time, but I wanted to keep going. I hope you like it. By the way, I would like to say thank you to my first two reviewers. I'm glad that you like the idea.*

Bright light penetrated the darkness and Katniss was forced to open her eyes. She expected to find another tribute poised to strike, but instead there was a man with dark skin and intense brown eyes. He smiled when he noticed that her eyes were now open, "Hello Katniss, I'm Cinna. What do you say we get you cleaned up?" She simply nodded her head. Maybe he was her stylist? Hadn't she been in the games already? Was it just a dream?

She decided that he was her stylist, here to help prepare her for the games. She must have been dreaming before. That was the only possible way to explain what was happening. Something tugged at the back of her mind though. Something was missing and she couldn't figure out what it was.

Haymitch sat in his office trying to set up a schedule that would allow him to see all of the kids currently under his care. He was the only one at Panem who had the knowledge and experience to deal with these kids. Nobody else wanted to take on the challenge. He had been approached many times with drugs that he could prescribe that would keep them manageable, but they wouldn't help.

He wanted to find a way to cure these kids. Get them away from drugs and sent back to their families. Unfortunately, some of them didn't have families to go back to. Most of their parents had given up when they admitted them in here. Getting 'Hi-Jacked' as people called it, wasn't something that had been cured yet. Some children experienced delusions and after a while they were fine. Others were killed by the dangerous drug, but for some reason the kids in his care were unable to free themselves of their delusions.

Patients such as Johanna, Glimmer, and Marvel were a complete mystery. They had been dropped off by the local police department. They had each been found on the streets, though none of them were found in the same town. Glimmer was found in a dumpster, beaten up and raped. It looked as though she had been forced to take 'Tracker Jacker'. The local law enforcement had issued reports and tried to find their parents, but no one had come forth to claim them.

Even his newest patient, Katniss, was unceremoniously dropped off by her parents. The father seemed almost relieved to be rid of the girl and the mother didn't seem to care either way. He found it hard to believe that these people didn't care about their children. If his child were going through something as traumatic as these kids, he would do everything he could to help them. Unfortunately, he and his wife were unable to have kids.

After sorting through his files once more, he decided to give group therapy another try. It was a dangerous concept, considering what happened last time, but he didn't have enough time to do personal sessions with all of the kids anymore. If he could get them to sit down for at least one group session a week, then it would be easier to split his time up among them for one on one sessions.

Katniss was escorted through a set of double doors and into what looked like a lounge area. There were several people in this room and many of them looked too old to be fellow tributes, but there were a few that looked to be about her age. If she was right, and these kids were some of the other tributes, then she had her work cut out for her.

They were all much larger than her, with the smallest girl having about twenty pounds on her. There were two very large boys who appeared to be nothing but muscle. One was blond, with cold eyes, and the other had much darker skin than Cinna with arms that were bigger than Katniss's thigh. There was a blond girl that looked to be a few inches taller than Katniss and had what looked like a nervous tick. Katniss noticed another girl, one who appeared to be Prim's age hiding behind the dark skinned boy. She was starring at Katniss and immediately hid when she had been caught. She wondered if the girl might be related to the intimidating behemoth. They were all shadowed by large men who were dressed in the same clothes as Cinna. Maybe they were their stylists.

Cinna disrupted her thoughts and led her around to a counter that was lined with plates of food. She took one and was making her way to a table when her eyes connected with a set up deep blue ones. She had seen a pair of eyes that color before, but she couldn't place where.

Peeta was trying to force himself to eat when he saw her. Flowing brown hair, gray eyes, and a scowl that remained fixed on her face. He recognized this girl. Was she another tribute? If so, he wasn't sure if he would be able to kill her. He knew that he was never meant to win the Hunger Games, but maybe she could. When her gray eyes locked with his, it was like he forgot how to breathe. He definitely remembered those eyes, but from where?


	3. Chapter 3

*Okay so this chapter is a little longer and gives a little bit of background on our group. Let me know what you think*

Haymitch was the first to arrive in the common room. He requested that there be a few orderlies present just in case they had another violent outburst. He knew the dangers of having all of these kids together, but it was the only way he could think of to optimize his time with them. Katniss would be the wild card today. Each of these kids had varying levels of hostility when it came to the others. The worst cases were Cato and Glimmer. Glimmer was the one that tried to kill Rue in their last group session while Cato laughed and cheered her on.

Rue and Peeta were probably the two least violent patients he had. It amazed him how different Rue was from her brother Thresh. He was very angry and cold to everyone except her. Haymitch thought that if he was going to have problems with anyone, it would be Thresh. The boy was so filled with anger that you could feel it. Rue on the other hand was very timid and shy. She was quick to smile and had a playfulness in her that made Haymitch wish he could help her. Their father had injected them with the 'Tracker Jacker' drug and then proceeded to beat them.

Peeta came from an abusive home. His father had left his mother years ago, but was unable to take him and his brothers. His brothers turned out just as mean as their mother. They were the ones that gave Peeta the 'Tracker Jacker' and watched as she beat him with a rolling pin. When his father found out, he had the woman arrested for abuse and admitted Peeta into Panem. Even under the effects of the drug, Peeta is still a very sweet person. It is like there is a part of Peeta that is trying to escape, but is unable to.

Finn and Annie were another story. They had been dating for several months prior to being admitted into Panem. Apparently, their friends had talked them into trying the drug that landed them here. According to Mr. Odair, Finn and Annie had fallen into a bad crowd. He wanted his son's condition to be kept under wraps because it would interfere with his election. Annie's parents wanted nothing to do with their daughter once they found out about her problem. Being crazy didn't fit into their high society lifestyles.

Cato, Clove, Brutus, and Enobaria were all runaways who were found living together in an old warehouse. When the police found them they also found two bodies which had been mutilated by the four friends. Because they were all 'hijacked' at the time and were apparently not getting better anytime soon, they were sentenced to Panem in the hopes of getting them cured so that they could be punished for their crimes.

Gloss and Cashmere were twins that got on everyone's nerves. They were loud and obnoxious with no concept of personal space. They were also lacking in the personal hygiene department. It didn't matter that their assigned orderlies forced them to bathe; they constantly smelled like rotting food. The stench would seep into the couches and was impossible to clean. Haymitch tried to talk his boss into allowing him to interview them by phone, but they didn't go for it. Just thinking about them made him want to vomit.

Cecelia was a prostitute whose clients would give her drugs in exchange for her services. Haymitch wasn't sure if she had been given the wrong drug on purpose, or if she asked for it, but it really did a number on her. For the first few weeks she was here, she had to deal with her cocaine withdraw and then she started screaming about her children. According to the records they had, Cecelia was only seventeen and never had a child.

Haymitch was curious how Katniss would fit in. She seemed almost too quiet, but she was extremely observant. Every time she entered a room she would begin by sweeping the room with her eyes and even the smallest things seemed to catch her attention. He didn't expect any trouble from her like he did Glimmer, but there was an intense fire behind her eyes that he wanted to explore a little more.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. Cinna, Gale, and Boggs were escorting his patients into the room. Haymitch had learned how to communicate with these kids through their delusions. He informed them in the morning that all 'tributes' were required for interviews prior to the games starting. He found it absolutely ludicrous, but nothing else seemed to work on them and since their 'hijacked' minds would restart each day, this was the best way to communicate.

Haymitch watched as the teenagers filtered in and slowly took their seats. Many of them were eyeing the others, including Katniss, but other than that there was no open hostility…yet. Peeta took the seat on Haymitch's right while Cato sat as far from the therapist as he could flanked by Glimmer and Clove. Katniss' eyes rested on Peeta and she immediately sat next to the boy. Haymitch made a note of this and of the fact that Rue rushed to take the seat on Katniss' other side causing Thresh to frown and follow suit. Johanna sat to Haymitch's left and on the other side was Cecelia. The rest of the group filtered in and took their seats, all of them trying their best to stay upwind of the twins.

Haymitch decided to begin as if he really was conducting interviews. He noticed that they used a lot of real information about themselves which allowed him to get a feel of who they really were. It was his thought that he could use this to bring them out of their delusions and back into the real world. Unfortunately for most of them, the real world may not be what they want to come back to.

He decided to start with Katniss since her story would be closer to the truth than any of the others. "Katniss, why don't you tell us about yourself?"

Katniss hated talking about herself. She never knew what to say or how to act, "There's not much to tell."

She felt everyone's eyes on her which made her really nervous. "What do you like to do? What are you good at?" he tried again.

"I like to hunt. I'm a fair shot with a bow." One of the other tributes leaned forward with interest. It was the burly blond boy that she had noticed earlier. She hoped that Haymitch would move on from her, but no such luck.

"You said something about your sister before. You volunteered for her?"

Katniss thought about it for a moment, "Yes. She's only twelve."

"Can you tell me about her?"

She took in a deep breath and released it slowly. She felt tears begin to well up in her eyes, but she fought them back. She didn't want to talk about Prim. Wasn't it bad enough that she was forced to be here? She didn't want to talk about her life with these capital people. She knew that she wouldn't be able to avoid it so she decided to be short with them, "She's the sweetest person in the world."

Haymitch seemed to be getting frustrated, "Anything else?"

"No," she was done with this conversation.

Haymitch sighed and decided to move on to someone who was a little more cooperative, "Alright Peeta. It's your turn."

Peeta began explaining about himself. He told everyone about his love of art and baking. When he mentioned that he ran his family's bakery there was a gasp from his right. The girl with the gray eyes whose name he was pretty sure that he should know was staring at him. In her eyes, there were several conflicting emotions. The most prevalent was confusion.

"Katniss, are you okay?" Haymitch asked.

Her eyes never left Peeta's, "You're the boy with the bread."


	4. Chapter 4

*I'm sorry for the slight delay in updating, I've been busy. Thank you to my reviewers and I hope you enjoy this chapter*

Peeta suddenly got a flash of a memory. He was working in the bakery, staring out at the rain cascading down the window. Lightning flashed, illuminating the storefront where a small girl was rummaging through their trash can. He heard his mother screaming at the girl to leave before she called the cops. The girl stumbled about ten feet before collapsing against the old willow tree whose branches hung lazily over the pig pen.

He quickly grabbed two loaves of bread that were just finishing up and set them into the fire, burning the edges. He knew that his mother would beat him for his actions, but he couldn't bear seeing the little girl suffer. He pulled the loaves out of the fire just as his mother entered the kitchen. She screeched when she saw the ruined loaves and picked up the rolling pin that was sitting on the counter. She proceeded to hit him upside the head, nearly knocking him unconscious. Once she stopped hitting him against his ribs she ordered him to throw the bread to the pigs.

He forced himself up to his feet and shakily made his way out the door. Watching over his shoulder for his mother, he tore the burnt edges off and threw them to the pig. Once his mother's attention was no longer focused on him, he turned to the girl who was watching him with hunger evident in her gray eyes. His eyes locked with hers and he could feel the heat coloring his cheeks. A shrill voice broke through his thoughts and he quickly threw the bread in her direction and disappeared back into the bakery.

Something was wrong with this memory. It was too clear. His memories were always shimmery and almost unreal. It also didn't fit with anything that he knew to be real. There was a scream that echoed in his mind and it took several seconds for him to realize that he was the one screaming. His hands were wrapped painfully in his hair and he could feel himself struggle against the false memory.

Katniss was experiencing something similar. Part of her brain was screaming at her to focus on this memory while the other part was telling her that it wasn't real. She could see her pain and confusion mirrored in the blue eyed boy next to her. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her legs which she had pulled to her chest. She was banging her head against them to try and clear the voices from her mind.

She knew that there were people talking, but she was unable to focus on what they were saying. She felt hands grip her upper arms and she broke from the position she was sitting in to attack the person grabbing at her. They were trying to kill her! She needed to get home to Prim! All thoughts flew from her mind as she wrestled to free herself from the person in front of her. There was a slight stabbing in her right hip and she felt her body start to relax. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the blue eyed boy reaching for her.

Haymitch had no idea what just happened. There was obviously some connection between Katniss and Peeta, but what that was, he had no idea. He was currently trying to wrangle all of his patients with the help of Gale, Cinna, and Boggs. Katniss had to be sedated after she lunged at him and surprisingly they had to do the same thing to Peeta when he tried to get to her. He had never seen Peeta act like this. Whatever memory she had conjured had caused Peeta to change from being a polite boy who usually sat back while the other kids fought, into a fiercely protective man ready to hurt Gale when he moved to sedate Katniss.

Cato, Clove, Brutus, Enobaria, and Marvel were all laughing at the display. Thresh was holding on to Rue while she cried into his shirt. The twins seemed to be in their own little worlds. Cecelia and Johanna seemed to be watching with increasing interest. Annie leapt into Finn's lap after Katniss tackled Haymitch to the ground, and Glimmer was being restrained by Boggs.

Haymitch called out to Plutarch who was manning the front desk. He needed someone to help Boggs escort the kids back to their rooms while he, Cinna, and Gale took Peeta and Katniss. Since she was so light, Cinna was able to carry Katniss on his own while the other two half dragged Peeta to his room. It was a rather strange and eventful day, but he had a feeling that it was only the beginning.

Katniss awoke to the sun stinging her eyes. Her hands and feet were strapped to a table causing her to panic. What were they planning on doing to her! She was worried that the capital was going to forego throwing her in the games and just torture her here and now. It was a very unsettling thought that quickly washed away when Cinna entered the room.

He gently unstrapped her and asked her if she would like to go with him to get some breakfast. She simply nodded and stretched her tired muscles. Her eyes flicked back to the straps on the bed. Were they just a precaution? Did they think that she would try and make a run for it in the middle of the night? Where exactly did they expect her to go?

They passed very few people on their way to get food. She saw none of her fellow tributes and wondered where they were. Were they strapped to beds too? Cinna led her toward a counter that was covered in food. He allowed her to pick what she wanted before leading her to one of the many empty tables. Her plate was piled high with eggs, sausages, toast, and fruit. She was so used to foraging and hunting for her food that was sometimes scarce, that having it provided for her was a nice change.

She was startled when a small voice spoke from right behind her, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Katniss turned to see a small girl who appeared to be Prim's age. She was shyly hiding her face in her hair as she waited for an answer. Katniss decided that she couldn't turn the girl down, "Not at all." Katniss moved over to make room for the girl, "I'm Katniss."

"Rue."

They returned to their food and ate in comfortable silence. For twenty minutes the only sound was that of their forks hitting their plates and their steady breathing. It wasn't until they heard a crash from the other side of the room causing them to turn and Cinna to jump up that they spoke again. Rue slid into Katniss' side and wrapped her arms around Katniss' stomach, "I'm scared." On the other side of the room she watched as Glimmer began beating Clove upside the head with her food tray.

Katniss pulled her close and spoke calmly, "It's okay. I'm here." Katniss had comforted Prim many times over the years and with Rue here; it felt like she had her sister back.

"Katniss, can you sing?" Rue asked.

Katniss closed her eyes. Prim was usually the only one that could make her sing, but Rue sounded so much like her that she gave in. Her voice came out soft and gentle as she sang the song she reserved for her sister.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray, Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

Peeta followed his stylist Portia grabbing food as he went. He turned to see a fight break out between two of the tributes and just rolled his eyes. They weren't even in the arena yet and these people were already at each other's throats. He was distracted by a familiar voice singing softly. The beautiful voice seemed to draw him toward it and drowned everything else out. His eyes landed on Katniss holding Rue, blocking the little girl from the fight that was ensuing. He recognized the song that she was singing, and he was pretty sure that it wasn't the first time he had heard it. The song finished and he was left standing there feeling sad. Her voice was so warm and soft when she sang.

His thoughts were interrupted by Haymitch appearing at his arm, "Hey kid, enjoying the view?"

His face grew hot as he turned to his mentor, "I was listening to the song. It sounded familiar."

Haymitch seemed to perk up at this revelation, "Did it? Do you know where you might have heard it before?" Peeta just shook his head. He felt like the memory was just out of reach. Haymitch thought on this for a minute, "Interesting. I have to make a few phone calls. I'll see you later today for our private session."

Peeta nodded, "Okay."

A pair of gray eyes locked on his for just a moment before they turned away. Peeta saw a slight smile play on her lips and felt the corners of his mouth turn up at this. He considered asking if he could join the two girls before Portia appeared and ushered him over to another table.


	5. Chapter 5

*Here is the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy*

After several hours of phone calls and many rejections, Haymitch was able to piece together a connection between Peeta and Katniss. He even convinced their parents to come in and talk to him, although Katniss' mother was reluctant. She didn't seem to want anything to do with her daughter, which Haymitch did not understand, but at least she agreed to come.

There was a beeping coming from his phone indicating that the front desk was trying to reach him. Tapping a button on the phone he said, "Hello."

"Dr. Abernathy, your wife is here," came the voice of Madge.

"Alright, can you tell her that I will be right there?"

"Of course, Dr. Abernathy."

The line went dead and he made his way down to the front desk. His wife was a social worker who took the 'hopeless' cases as it were. She was currently in charge of several of his patients. It was her job to check on them from time to time, and it was a perk for him that he got to spend those days with her.

He rounded the corner and spotted her blond hair immediately. She had on a bright pink suit with five inch heels that matched. She always dressed so bright, and once told him that it was because the world was so dark that it needed a little bit of brightness. It was one of the many things that he loved about her. She must have heard his footsteps because she turned and smiled brightly at him, "There he is."

His smile increased. She never failed to make him smile, "Hello dear." He wrapped his arms around her petite waist and pulled her in for a hug. There was a giggle from the front desk which caused him to release her and turn toward Madge who was trying to stifle her laugh in vain.

"Sorry, you guys are just so cute."

"Thank you my dear, but if you will excuse us, we have some children to check on." He felt her slide her arm through his and pull him towards the common room. He spotted Rue and Katniss sitting on a seat near the window reading a book and was encouraged. Most of these kids were so paranoid that they would keep their distance from each other, all except Cato and his followers. They seemed to have no fear of each other.

Thresh was staring at the two girls with trepidation. He usually didn't let Rue leave his side, but she seemed so happy around Katniss. Thresh appeared to be warring with himself over whether to keep his sister away from this girl or allow her the friendship. Apparently he decided on the latter because he tore his eyes away from the two girls and focused on the book in his hands.

"Effie, Haymitch!" Rue called over to them with a wave.

Her arm left his as she approached the little girl, "Hello Rue. How are you today?"

"I'm a little scared. Some of the other tributes were fighting today."

Effie turned back toward her husband who gave her a nod that told her he would fill her in later, "Are you okay though?"

"Oh, yes. Katniss sang to me and it made me feel better." Rue gestured to the girl behind her.

"Hello Katniss, I'm Effie."

Gray eyes found hers and she said a quiet, "Hi." Effie could feel herself squirm under the girl's gaze. It was intense and made her wonder what was going on behind those eyes.

The gray eyes left hers and seemed to catch on something else. Effie followed her gaze as it landed on Peeta who was currently sketching something in the far corner. She had spoken to the boy several times and it broke her heart to see someone like him in here. He seemed so sweet and he had a real talent for art that would never leave this place if he wasn't able to get better. She truly believed that he could be a famous artist if he so chose.

Her musings were interrupted by Johanna, "Hey there Effie. Come to check on the pip squeak?"

She turned to the brash girl and smiled, "Yes Johanna. I also wanted to check on you. Is there anything new that you wanted to tell me?"

Johanna's eyes fell on Katniss and Rue, "Nothing really new. Been checking out the competition, and I don't think I've got anything to worry about."

The smirk on Johanna's face caused Effie to flinch. Katniss on the other hand locked eyes with her and showed no emotion whatsoever. It was a little unnerving to watch. Even Johanna seemed to bristle under the stare before Katniss turned her attention back to Rue. Effie turned back to Johanna who just stared at Katniss for another moment, "Well dear, I have to go check on the others. I will see you again before I leave."

Effie made her way back toward Haymitch who was staring over Peeta's shoulder. She tried to be quiet as she approached, but her heels gave her away and Peeta closed his sketchbook and smiled at her, "Hello Effie. How are you?"

"I'm doing wonderful Peeta, how are you?"

He glanced around before answering, "I'm waiting for the day that they throw us in the arena to kill or be killed." His eyes fell on her, "So I'm great." His smile was relaxed as he said this, but it still upset her. She couldn't imagine being on edge all the time, worried that someone is going to kill you at any moment.

"You'll be fine Peeta. You've got Haymitch and he will do everything he can to help you." She gave her husband a loving smile before returning her gaze to the boy who simply nodded. "You were sketching something when I came over. Do you mind if I see?"

He shifted uncomfortably, "It's not finished yet. Maybe some other time."

Haymitch signaled for her to follow him outside. Before leaving she placed her hand on his shoulder, "I'll see you later Peeta." He didn't answer, just smiled.

She followed Haymitch out to the lawn where they sat underneath a large oak tree. The sun seemed to caress her face and it was a nice change from the stuffy hospital. She sat there enjoying the beautiful day, allowing it to cleanse her mind of the worry she felt.

She was brought back to the present by her husband's voice, "I wanted your opinion on something. It has to do with Peeta and Katniss."

Her curiosity was peaked, "What about them?"

He took a deep breath, "They have some kind of connection to each other. I found out that they went to middle school together."

She didn't see what the big deal was, "So? Annie and Finn knew each other before. So did a few of the other kids right?"

"Yeah, but this is different. If I'm correct, I think they might have had a break through yesterday in our group session."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Peeta was talking about working in a bakery which caused Katniss call him 'the boy with the bread'. It seemed to affect them both. They had to be sedated before they hurt themselves or someone else. I think they were experiencing a memory that hadn't been 'hi-jacked' and it confused them."

She thought about it for a minute, "Do you know what this means? They may be able to get through this!"

He nodded and continued, "That's not all. I might have a theory as to why these kids haven't been able to recover."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, I can't be sure because I don't really know anything about Katniss's past, but her mother agreed to meet with me. I think I want to wait and talk to her before I say anything to anyone because I want to be sure."

"Okay, but I want you to call me after you talk to her. If we can figure out what caused this then maybe we can fix it."

"That is my hope. I'm a little worried about what will happen when we do fix these kids though. Many of them don't have families to go back to." His face seemed to become strained and she could see the hurt etched into his features.

She smiled at him, "Then I will help them to find a good home. That's my job remember?" She nudged him playfully and the sad look that had found its way onto his face disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Haymitch glanced over the files in front of him, hoping to find a significant connection between his patients, but other than going to the same middle school, there was nothing. He did find something odd in Katniss' profile, there was no mention of a sister. He highly doubted that she had made the girl up. These kids always created their delusional worlds by using real people and places. It's possible that Katniss knew a girl named Prim, but wasn't actually related to her.

A loud knock on the door drew him from his contemplations, "Come in." Katniss' mother pushed through the door with a rather annoyed look on her face. Haymitch gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk, "Thank you for coming Mrs. Everdeen."

"It's Mitchell now. I remarried nearly six months ago just haven't bothered to change my name yet. Can we get this over with? I've got an appointment with my hair stylist." Her cold, uncaring eyes locked with his and he felt like slapping the woman.

"I just have a few questions to ask you about Katniss. I'll be quick I promise." He tried to keep the venomous sarcasm that he was known for out of his voice, but it crept in anyways. "Katniss mentioned a sister to me when she first arrived, but I see no mention of her here in Katniss' file. Do you have another daughter?"

"I did," she replied in a bored tone.

"You did? May I ask what happened to her?"

She rolled her eyes, "She was killed in a drive by four months ago. I didn't put her down in the paperwork when I admitted Katniss because I didn't think it was necessary."

The way this woman was talking about her children angered Haymitch and he was determined to get through this meeting without strangling the infuriating woman, "I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. Where, may I ask, was Katniss when this occurred?"

"She was standing right there. The fool even tried to push Prim out of the way and cover her body with her own. It was too late though. Prim was dead and the people that did it were gone."

Before he could reply to the callous woman's words, another knock sounded at the door. This time it was Mr. Mellark. Haymitch stood and shook the man's hand and offered him the seat next to the insufferable woman. He didn't take the seat, but rather stared at Mrs. Mitchell with curiosity, "Karen?" he asked.

She turned toward him and recognition flitted across her face as she took in the man, "Hello Michael. What are you doing here?"

"You two know each other?" Haymitch asked. There might be more of a connection than he thought.

Her cold blue eyes turned back to him, "Of course we know each other. We were engaged to be married, but I left him for Katniss' father. Now, do you have any more stupid questions or can I go?"

He really didn't like being around this woman, but the thought of annoying her gave him a sick sort of pleasure, "Yes I do actually have a few more questions. What happened to Katniss' father?"

"He was a miner and there was an explosion. You figure it out."

"The real reason that I am here is that Katniss may have had a break through yesterday. It is the first time this has ever happened, and I have high hopes that she may be able to recover from this."

Karen could look more bored, "What does this have to do with me?"

Michael's face was one of pure shock. How could she act so cold and indifferent when it came to her child? Haymitch was thinking the exact same thing, "Don't you want your daughter to recover? She may have a chance to leave this place. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

She stood, "Dr. Abernathy, my daughter is nearly seventeen years old. As far as I'm concerned she can take care of herself. I believe that you have wasted enough of my time, so if you don't mind I'll be going." She turned toward the door leaving the two men in shock. Before she exited she called over her shoulder, "Katniss is your problem now. Don't call me again."

The door slammed, leaving them in silence. Neither of them were able to speak for several minutes. Finally, Haymitch cleared his throat and turned to the one parent that seemed to care about their child in this place, "Mr. Mellark…"

"Please, Dr. Abernathy, call me Michael."

"Alright Michael, I was wondering if Katniss and Peeta were friends."

Michael appeared taken aback by this question, "No, they've never actually spoken to each other before. Peeta asked me about her once when they were kids, but he was too shy to ever actually talk to her."

Haymitch was disappointed. This could explain why Peeta would have felt connected to Katniss, but it didn't give him any clues as to Katniss' feelings. "Well, she called him 'the boy with the bread' in our group session the other day and it seemed to have some significance. Do you know what that means?"

Michael thought it over for a few minutes before his face lit up, "Peeta helped her one day by throwing her a couple of loaves of bread that he had burnt. He told me about it later that night. She was starving and he couldn't stand to see her suffer."

Haymitch contemplated this information and several things began to click all at once. Every single one of these kids that he had a history on had been through something horribly tragic. He was pretty sure that's why they couldn't free themselves. Peeta's act of kindness, throwing Katniss that bread, created a connection between them that was pure. It wasn't based on pain, or anger. It allowed Katniss to break through the delusions, if only for a minute, and she was able to pull Peeta with her. If he could find a way to utilize this new found connection, he may be able to help these two and in turn, help the others.

Michael's voice broke through his thoughts and reminded him that he wasn't alone, "Dr. Abernathy? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, actually, I think everything is just fine."

"Is there anything else you need to know? You said on the phone that you might be able to help my son if you had some more information."

"I think you just gave me all the information I needed. Do you remember me telling that horrible woman about Katniss having a possible break through?" Michael slowly nodded and Haymitch continued, "Well, she wasn't the only one. Peeta did as well. It was after she called him 'the boy with the bread'. They both seemed to react to that one memory."

"So what does this mean?"

"It means that we might be able to save your son."


	7. Chapter 7

*Okay so no direct Katniss or Peeta in this chapter, but they will be back in the next one I promise. Enjoy*

"You know that this could be dangerous, right?" Effie asked her husband.

"I know that this might be their only chance." He sighed and pulled her toward him, "We have no other options. I can't let these kids remain trapped by this drug. It kills me to think that they might be stuck here for the rest of their lives."

She pulled back enough to look into his pale blue eyes, "I know how you feel. I wish I could help them too."

They remained in a tight embrace for several minutes before moving away. Haymitch grabbed his coat and moved to the door. He was going to talk to some of Katniss and Peeta's old teachers. He wanted to get as much information as he could before he set his plan into action. He also wanted to visit Prim's gravesite. He found the article talking about her death and made an appointment at the local prison to talk to the ones responsible for it. Apparently, they had been caught several hours after the shooting. He was hoping that the information he gathered would help him reach Katniss and Peeta. He knew that his little experiment could have some potentially hazardous drawbacks that could break them, but it could also heal them.

Haymitch had always been a pessimist. It was always easier to expect the worst and hope for the best when dealing with the mentally unstable. He wanted to think that he could heal all of his patients, but the truth of the matter was that many of them would die in the institution. Effie was an optimist through and through which annoyed him to no end when they first met, but it was part of the reason why he loved her so much. She refused to give up and truly believed that she would be able to help these kids.

She was the one that kept him from becoming an alcoholic. He had been at his breaking point several years ago. One of his patients had committed suicide in front of him. The alcohol had been his way of coping with the death because it made him feel numb. Effie was the one that pulled him out of the bottle. She encouraged him and was there with him through the bad times.

His contemplations came to an end as he pulled up to the middle school that Katniss and Peeta shared. It was a rather unremarkable building, shabby compared to the modern buildings in the capital. There was a small playground that looked to be rusting and a fence that was down in some areas. The office was small and the portly woman behind the desk had a very stern face. When her eyes landed on his, he felt like he was in trouble, "Can I help you?"

He squirmed under her gaze, "Yes, I'm Dr. Abernathy from Panem Mental Institution. I spoke with a principal Paylor earlier this afternoon about two former students."

Another woman with dark brown hair and green eyes emerged from the open door behind the portly woman, "Dr. Abernathy?" he nodded, "You were enquiring about Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, correct?"

"Yes ma'am I was."

She held out her hand for him to shake which he accepted, "I'm principal Paylor. Would you like to step into my office?" She gestured to the door behind her which they entered. "May I ask what this is regarding?"

He sat in an old leather chair across from her desk, "They're patients of mine and I believe that I might be able to help them if only I could get some more information on them. I'm most interested in any kind of interaction they might have had."

She reaches for the two files that were laid out on her desk, "Well it appears that Katniss was in the choir program, though she quit after the death of her father. She didn't appear in any other clubs or activities here. Peeta was in the junior wrestling league." She skimmed through the rest of the files, "It appears as though they had a couple of classes together."

"What classes did they have?" he inquired.

"Let's see…American History, English, and Math."

He leaned forward, "The teachers that taught those classes then, they wouldn't happen to still be around would they?"

"I'm afraid not. Mrs. Donner moved away several years ago. Mr. Flickman was offered a job at the local news station. He was the one that broke the story on that drug, oh what is it called? The one that makes the kids think that they are in some kind of game where they have to kill each other to win?"

"Tracker Jacker," he replied rather distastefully.

"Yes, that's the one. Anyway, they turned it into an actual show called 'The Hunger Games' which is just sick if you ask me. Turning these children's pain into a show is disgusting. Where did they even get that name?"

"They get it from the kids. They don't understand how it works exactly because the drug is so new, but there is a base delusion that all of the victims share which is the fact that they are all tributes in a sick contest in which they have to kill each other and they call it the Hunger Games. Somehow all of the kids that take it are programmed to believe this and everything that they experience becomes part of the delusion. Some get over it, but others remain affected. It's actually why I'm here. Katniss and Peeta were each affected by the drug and I might have found a way to help them."

Her hand flew up and landed right over her heart, "Oh my word, that's horrible. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

"Actually, you said they had three classes together, but you only told me what happened to two of their teachers."

She shook her head, "Oh, sorry. Um, let me think…Oh right, Mr. Templesmith. He was found murdered several months ago in an old warehouse by several kids. His son's body was found with him."

This bit of information interested him for a whole other reason, "Do you know what they were doing in the warehouse?"

Her brow crinkled in confusion, "I know that he was afraid that his son was doing drugs. I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but the police officer that informed us of Claudius' death said that the children they picked up were high."

The wheels in Haymitch's head were turning rapidly. He may not have found any useful information on Katniss or Peeta, but he did find some information about a few of his patients. "Do you remember the name of the officer that talked to you by chance?"

She thought for several moments before shaking her head, "No I don't, but I'm sure the police department could give you whatever information you need. May I ask what this has to do with Katniss and Peeta? They weren't involved were they?"

"No they weren't involved. I thank you for your time Mrs. Paylor." He stood and shook her hand one last time and made his way out to his car. This trip was turning out to be much more informative than he could have hoped for.


	8. Chapter 8

*Thank you all for the reviews and follows. I really enjoy hearing from all of you. Here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy*

Katniss sat near the barred window, staring out into the forest that surrounded her new prison. She wondered when the games would begin. She hated waiting for the capitalist pigs to tell her when she would be fighting for her life. A part of her wanted to take out the competition now, while she could still control some of the outcome. She knew that she wouldn't be able to pull it off. She would be killed before she could get very far.

She released a sigh. Her mind wandered to Prim and she knew that she had to be good so that she could return to her. Prim needed her. Their mom was useless and Prim needed someone that would look after her. She remembered the day that she tried to teach Prim to hunt. It was a bright, cloudless day and she was so excited that she couldn't sit still the night before. The entire trip had been a disaster of course. Prim was too sweet and innocent. She wasn't made for hunting. She cried when the first rabbit was shot.

She thought back to the nightmares that began after meeting the other tributes. If she closed her eyes she could see Prim in a white dress, playing hopscotch on the sidewalk, her blond hair bouncing behind her as she moved. The sound of screeching tires fills her ears as she watches the dark red car fly around the corner towards them. She can hear as the gun shots ring out and immediately she dives for Prim. The car disappears and all that is left is her and Prim. She pulls herself off of Prim's small frame and looks down to make sure that her sister is alright. Blood pools on her chest where the bullets have blasted through.

A hand on her shoulder pulls her from her waking nightmare and she lashes out. Strong, warm arms take hold of her and she is pulled into a hug. She continues to thrash until she can't move anymore. She takes several deep breaths and is greeted with the scent of cinnamon. Her knees buckle and she begins to cry. She doesn't know why, it was only a dream, but it was so real. A hand runs soothingly up and down her back.

It takes a while before the tears stop and she is calm enough to stand on her own. When she is released from the unasked for embrace, she is instantly drawn into eyes of the deepest blue. Her heart skips as she recognizes him as one of the other tributes. _Why would he comfort me? He probably thinks I'm weak. _"Are you alright?" he asks and she is surprised by the softness and sincerity of his voice.

She began to say that she was fine, but something stopped her. She didn't want to lie, "I don't know."

His hand, that was still behind her back, pulled her over to a small sofa and gestured for her to take a seat. When he was seated next to her he took her hand, "Do you want to talk about it?"

She stared at him for a full minute. They were enemies. Weren't they? He's trying to trick her, get into her head before they get into the arena. Somehow she didn't believe that. He seemed genuinely concerned about her, and something in her wanted to confide in the boy. "I've been having these nightmares the last few days…about…about my sister." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "It seems so real. I can see everything."

"What happens in these nightmares?" Peeta asked.

A shiver ran through her body as she remembered the look on Prim's face. Her wide, innocent blue eyes staring into Katniss'. Her mouth opened in shock and horror as she realizes what has happened. She shivers again. Peeta's thumb rubs circles on the back of her hand and she forces herself to focus on that rather than fall apart again. It is a very comforting sensation. Her voice is surprisingly calm as she replies, "I dream about her dying."

It isn't until she feels him pull at her hand that she looks up, "It's just a nightmare. Your sister is okay, right?"

She was about to answer, but stopped herself. _Was Prim okay?_ She didn't know. She wasn't sure if Prim was eating, or if their mother was taking care of her. She didn't know what happened when Katniss was dragged into these games. If she was being honest, she wasn't even sure what was real anymore. Her nightmares of Prim were clear and vivid. They weren't all shimmery like the rest of her memories. They reminded her of the other day with Peeta. _Was that real? _

"Katniss?"

"Do I know you?" she asked in a frail voice.

He shook his head, "I don't know. The other day I…I think I remembered something about you, but it was weird. It seemed so out of place. It wasn't…"

"Shimmery," she answered for him.

"Yeah, what does that mean?" His eyes betrayed his outward calm. He was scared of what it could mean too.

"Honestly…I don't know."

He looked down, "I've been having nightmares too. They weren't shimmery either."

She wanted to try and give him the same comfort that he gave her. The only problem was that Katniss wasn't the comforting type. She was horrible with words, and was surprised at herself for talking as much as she had, but he obviously needed someone right then, "What are your nightmares about?"

"A boy. I have two older brothers, but it wasn't one of them. In my dreams I'm surrounded by fire. It's like I can even feel the heat on my skin. I think I'm trapped because the boy runs in to save me. I'm able to make it out of the door in time, but the other boy gets trapped and I'm stuck watching him burn to death."

Katniss had no idea how to comfort him, so she squeezed his hand, "Does he look familiar at all?"

She watched as he considered this. His face twisted in confusion, "He looks a little like my brother Rye except for the blond hair."

"Is it possible that you used to have another brother?" she asked, causing him to look at her in alarm.

He shook his head, but said nothing else. It was obvious that he was trying to deny her words, but from the look on his face, he couldn't.


	9. Chapter 9

*Sorry for the delay. My computer crashed. I wanted to say thank you guys for your support of this story. I'm also sorry that this is kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to end it where I did.*

Haymitch entered the police station and approached the officer at the front desk, "Hello, I'm wondering if you could help me. My name is Dr. Haymitch Abernathy from the Panem Mental Institution. I was wondering if you could give me some information on a case that I believe involved several of my patients."

"It depends, what kind of information did you need?" the officer asked.

"I was hoping to speak to the arresting officer in the murder of Claudius Templesmith and his son. It occured in a warehouse if that helps."

The officer excused himself and left Haymitch in the lobby for several minutes. When he finally returned, there was a man with him. "Dr. Abernathy?" Haymitch nodded, "I'm detective Chaff," his hand stretched out and Haymitch shook it. "Why don't you follow me?"

Haymitch followed detective Chaff through the precinct and into a small room. He took the seat offered and began, "Thank you for meeting with me."

"Wilson said that you wanted information on the Templesmith case. May I ask why?"

Haymitch leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, "I am in charge of patients who are victims of the Tracker Jacker drug. As of yet, I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to cure the kids under my care. A few days ago I had a break through of sorts with two of my patients through a memory. I believe that the kids you arrested in the Templesmith case are patients of mine. I was hoping to find some more information on them so that I could help them."

Chaff sat back and Haymitch was glad to see that he was at least considering his request. "I can let you look at copies of the files, but some of the information will have to be blacked out."

"I was hoping to find some background information on them if I could."

Chaff looked him in the eye and nodded, "I'll see what I can do about that. I can't make any promises though. It'll take me a couple of hours to get the information you need."

"I understand. Any help you can provide would be appreciated." Haymitch stood and once again shook Chaff's hand, "Thank you." Chaff nodded and walked Haymitch out the door.

Haymitch decided to go visit the men responsible for Prim's death while he waited for the police reports. He entered the prison and found himself seated across from two men who couldn't have been older than twenty. One was short, with a nervous tick. His raven hair was cropped short and spiked. The other had to be close to 6'3 with dark brown hair and a tattoo of a snake on his left arm and what looked like a wasp or yellow jacket on his neck.

"Hello boys, I'm Dr. Abernathy. I was hoping to ask you a few questions." He got no reply and continued, "I wanted to know about the little girl you killed."

The raven haired boy shrunk down and looked to his friend who remained impassive. There was something unsettling about this boy. He was cold and menacing. The smile he gave Haymitch had his skin crawling, "What do you want to know?"

"Why her? Was there a reason for it?" he asked.

"I was bored and she was there."

Haymitch knew he was lying. There was something that he was hiding, "I don't believe you."

The brunette boy gave a dark laugh before leaning towards Haymitch, "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am lying. What's it to you?"

Haymitch considered his answer for a minute, "I want to know. It seems to me as though there is more to this story than anyone wants to let on."

"You have no idea." The boy sat back, but didn't let his eyes leave Haymitch's, "The girl was a warning."

It was Haymitch's turn to lean forward, "A warning for who? What were you trying to warn them of?"

"I think our time is up Dr. Abernathy." The boy rose and was quickly followed by his friend. Haymitch nearly growled in frustration when the boy turned around, "I'd be careful Doc. The snow is falling and you might catch your death."

Haymitch returned to the police station around 6:30 pm to pick up the files. His conversation with Prim's killer continued to run through his mind. His parting words were really curious. It was true that winter was here, but he really didn't think that it had to do with weather. There was something else to his cryptic words, but he had no idea what they meant.

Detective Chaff met him at the front desk with a box full of files. They exchanged pleasantries before Haymitch left carrying the box. It was getting late and he wasn't going to make it back to Panem tonight so he got a motel and called Effie. "Hello?"

He smiled at the sound of her voice, "Hello Darlin'."

"How did it go? Did you get what you wanted?"

He sighed, "Not really. The school was a bust, but I did find out some information on Cato and the others. I've got the police reports on them and I was just about to go through them."

"I thought you were looking for information on Katniss and Peeta?"

"I was, but it turns out that one of the men that Cato, Clove, Brutus and Enobaria killed was a former teacher of both Katniss and Peeta."

"What!?"

"Yeah I thought it was pretty interesting myself. There's more. I went to talk to the guys that killed Katniss' sister Prim. It seems as though Prim was a warning of some kind, but they wouldn't say for what. I was hoping you could help me figure out something that one of the boys said. _'I'd be careful Doc. The snow is falling and you might catch your death.' _I have a feeling that it means something."

She was silent for a few minutes, "I have no idea, but I'll look into it if you want."

"I'd appreciate it. I've still got a few things to take care of tomorrow, but I should be home tomorrow night."

"Okay, I'll let you go so you can go through those files. I love you."

"Love you too."


	10. Chapter 10

*Katniss may seem a little out of character, but you try dealing with a major psychological blow. Anyways, enjoy and thank you to everyone that has followed, favorited, and reviewed*

Haymitch woke up early the next morning and made his way to Westlake Memorial Cemetery. He made his way through the tombstones looking for Primrose Everdeen, but it was another tombstone that caught his attention. The name Michael James Mellark Jr. stopped him in his tracks. Looking at the dates, the boy was around twelve years old when he passed. If he remembered correctly, Peeta would have been three years old at the time of Michael's death. Haymitch stood back and took a picture. He would ask Peeta's dad about this later.

He continued through the rows until he finally found the gravesite of Primrose Everdeen. Her headstone was a white marble and there was a small patch of primroses planted in front of it. After paying his respects to the young girl whose life was taken far too soon, he took a step back and once again took a picture.

When he turned to leave, he saw a black town car slowly passing by. He wanted to blow it off and say that it was simply someone coming to mourn a loved one, but the car never actually stopped. It continued to creep down the road before hitting the gas and exiting the cemetery. He stood there for several minutes, contemplating the situation before moving towards his car. There wasn't anything he could do about it, and he really needed to get back to Panem.

Katniss walked into the cafeteria with Cinna by her side. Her eyes glanced across the room looking for Peeta, but instead she found Rue, surrounded by Cato, Glimmer, Clove, Brutus, and Enobaria. Cato was taunting her while the others laughed. She wondered why Thresh wasn't with Rue, but decided that she needed to step in. Leaving Cinna to grab food, she made her way to the group. "Back off!" she said in her most threatening voice.

Cato's eyes lifted to take in Katniss before pushing Rue into Cloves arms and stepping in front of Katniss, "What are you going to do if I don't?"

She stood her ground and even advanced on him a bit, causing him to back up, "I'll make you."

Cato wasn't used to people standing up to him. He didn't want to appear weak to the others so he pushed Katniss hard so that she fell back onto the table. Before Katniss could even register what happened, Cato was flying across the room and Peeta was standing protectively in front of her. Clove released Rue as soon as Thresh appeared in front of her and she ran right to Katniss and hugged into her side.

Gale and Cinna joined them, ready to break up a fight, but Peeta ushered the girls away to a table in the corner. Thresh remained with the others. Katniss could see that he was saying something, but couldn't make out what it was. It couldn't be good by the way Clove's face fell as she stepped closer to Cato. The intimidating boy turned and made his way over to them. After checking that Rue was okay, he turned to Katniss, "Thank you."

She shuffled in her seat, "You're welcome." Without another word he was gone with Rue trailing behind.

"Are you okay?" she jumped slightly at his voice.

She turned to see his blue eyes staring intently at her, "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Are you hungry?" he asked, gesturing to the food counter.

She scanned the room for Cinna who was supposed to be getting her some food, "Uh…I think I've got food coming." Just then Cinna slid a tray on the table from behind her, startling her again.

"I'm sorry Katniss, I didn't mean to frighten you," he said as he took the seat next to her.

"It's okay. I'm just a little jumpy lately."

Another woman approached them carrying two trays, "Here you are Peeta. I went ahead and got you some food."

He smiled at her, "Thank you Portia." They ate their meal in comfortable silence. Katniss wasn't used to being comfortable around people, but Cinna and Peeta had a way of calming her with just their presence. Even Portia seemed to bring a level of peace with her. At that moment, she didn't feel so alone anymore.

Haymitch arrived back at Panem a little after three that afternoon. He considered calling Katniss in first thing, but he decided to call Michael Mellark first. He wanted to ask about the gravestone he found at Westlake. It probably wouldn't mean anything to Peeta, but he was curious. He dialed the number he had and waited. After several rings Michael finally picked up, "Hello?"

"Hello Mr. Mellark, this is Dr. Abernathy at Panem Mental Institution. How are you today?"

"I'm fine. How's Peeta?" he asked.

"Peeta is fine. I had a few more questions to ask you if you don't mind."

"Did you want me to come back in, or can we do this over the phone?"

Haymitch grabbed the picture he took, "Over the phone is fine. Do you have a few minutes now?"

Haymitch could hear a door close over the phone, "Yeah, I just had to get into my office."

He took a second to organize his thoughts, "I have been trying to get background information on Katniss and Peeta, hoping to find anymore connections that they might share. In my travels I went to visit Primrose's grave and I found something. Did you have another son?"

Michael took a deep breath before answering, "Yes, I did. He was killed in a fire fourteen years ago. It's why my marriage broke up."

"I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?"

"A towel was left near our brick oven. It caught fire and quickly spread. We thought we had gotten all of the children out, but Peeta was trapped in the kitchen. Before we could stop him, Michael ran back in to get him. He got Peeta through the door before the beam collapsed, trapping him inside."

Haymitch thought about it for a moment, "Do you think that Peeta would remember that?"

"I don't see how. He was only three when it happened. He never mentioned it if he did."

Haymitch sighed, having hit another dead end, "Thank you Mr. Mellark. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me."

"You just wanted to know about Michael? How does that help Peeta?"

"I don't think it will. I was hoping that this information would help trigger something inside of him. Maybe it still will, I don't know." Haymitch set the picture back down on his desk.

"I guess anything is worth a try." Haymitch could hear mumbling coming from the line, "I'm sorry Dr. Abernathy, I have to go."

"That's quite alright. I'll talk to you later." The line went dead and Haymitch placed the phone on the receiver. Every time he tried to get information on Peeta, he seemed to hit a dead end. Maybe the information he got on Katniss would be useful. He sure as hell hoped so.

Katniss entered Haymitch's office and took a seat in front of his desk. She hadn't seen her mentor in a couple of days and wondered what this could possibly be about. _Were they finally going into the games? _ The older man sat across from her and pulled out a file. "Hello Katniss, how are you doing today?"

For some reason she didn't trust his tone. He didn't necessarily sound any different than he had before, but there was something telling her to be careful, "I'm fine."

"Cinna tells me that you've been spending quite a bit of time with Peeta and Rue. How is that going?" She just shrugged in response, not wanting to say too much. "Well, the reason I brought you in here was to talk to you about your sister, Prim." His voice was thick, almost mournful.

Her heart started to race and fear began to creep in on her, "Is she okay? What happened?"

"Katniss, have you ever wondered why it has taken so long for the games to start? Why you are all here?"

She thought about it. It hadn't been that long, had it? "We're here so that you can help us prepare for the games. I don't know why the games haven't started yet."

He leaned over his desk, "Katniss, there are no hunger games. They don't exist. You've been under the influence of a drug that makes you believe you have been reaped into a contest where you have to kill others in order to survive." Katniss began to shake her head. This can't be happening. He must be lying. Haymitch continued, "You aren't the only one. The others have all been affected too. It seems to affect those who have experienced real pain and tragedy worse than others. That is why you are all here."

"No! You're lying! Where's Prim? Where's my sister!?" Katniss could feel the anger boiling over. She leapt up from her seat and nearly grabbed Haymitch by the throat.

"I'm not lying and I can prove it. Please just sit down and I'll explain." She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back. She didn't want to listen to him, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Her nightmare flashed into her mind. She sat back down and gripped the arms of the chair, "This is an article talking about the drug I mentioned. It's called Tracker Jacker and everyone affected believes that they are a part of a vicious game where they have to kill others in order to survive."

He tried to hand her the article, but she didn't take it, "What does this have to do with me, or Prim?"

He lowered his head and pulled out some more papers, "Prim was murdered in a drive by shooting four months ago." Katniss's eyes got really big and she seemed to be in shock. "I spoke to the men responsible yesterday and I visited her grave." He slid the police report and the picture he had taken of Prim's tombstone towards her.

Katniss went from shell shocked to raging denial in a matter of seconds. She grabbed the chair she had been occupying and threw it across the room. She snatched the papers off the desk and ripped them up. Her hand went to grab the phone and stopped in midair. Another picture of a gravestone was sitting next to the phone. One part of the name was familiar and made her breath halt. Grabbing the picture she ran for the door. "Peeta! Peeta!"

Haymitch followed her, unsure what was going on. She raced for the rec room looking for the boy and was nearly stopped by Gale, but Haymitch shook his head, wanting to see where this was going. She continued to call out for Peeta until he appeared around the corner, "Katniss, What's wrong?"

She flew into his arms surprising everyone, including Peeta, "They aren't nightmares."

Peeta smoothed his hand over her hair trying to quiet her sobs, "What are you talking about, Katniss? What happened?" She was sobbing so hard that she couldn't speak. Instead, she handed him the picture in her hand. He looked at it and his face turned white. He finally understood what she meant when she said that they weren't nightmares. She was talking about their dreams, and that meant that her sister was dead. He pulled her in and held her close, letting her cry into his shoulder. He wasn't sure how he felt, but he would figure that out later. Right now, Katniss needed him.

Haymitch watched with curiosity at the exchange between the two. It was obvious that the picture meant something to Peeta and Katniss both. Nothing he said to Katniss had clicked, but that picture seemed to be what got through to her. He would ask about this later, but for now he left them to mourn.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone. I'm sorry it has taken over a month for me to update, but I've been having issues. I will try not to take so long next time. Also, thank you all so much for your reviews. It really makes my day to hear that you guys like the story**

They sat on her bed, both lost in their own little worlds. Her tears had long since dried up, and she had slipped into an almost comatose state. He on the other hand, was going through his memories, trying to figure out what was real. He still couldn't believe that he had another brother who had died to save him.

According to the article Haymitch had given them, the drug that did this to them altered your memories, creating another world. It was a little unnerving to think that everything they knew wasn't real. Peeta couldn't even remember how long he had been in this place. It was as if he had no sense of time. He turned to regard the woman beside him. Her eyes were slightly glazed over and she was hugging her knees to her chest. It hurt Peeta to see her like this, but he had no idea to make her feel better.

After nearly twenty minutes of staring at her she finally turned to him, "Do you think Prim is okay?"

Peeta shrugged, "I honestly don't know. She is probably doing better than us right now."

Katniss nodded, "I need to win Peeta. I need to get back to her."

Peeta's eyes went wide, "What are you talking about Katniss?" Her bloodshot eyes were dilated and she was shaking slightly.

"The games Peeta. I know that there can only be one winner, but I need to make sure that it is me. I'm sorry, but I have to get back to my sister."

Peeta got up from the bed and knelt down in front of her. He gently picked her hands up off of her lap and held them in his own, "Katniss, the games aren't real. Don't you remember Haymitch telling us about my brother?" He didn't want to mention Prim and have her break down again, "We're in a mental institution Katniss."

She began looking around the room and Peeta could see the conflicting emotions in her eyes. Without warning, he found himself flying across the room. She upturned the bed and started screaming something about snow. His eyes were pulled to the door which Gale and Cinna just entered through. They were holding a syringe and he was helpless to do anything other than watch. Cinna tried to be gentle with her, but she was stronger than she looked. Finally, Gale tackled her down to the ground allowing Cinna to sedate her.

Peeta could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Her eyes finally flickered shut and her body relaxed. "Peeta, are you alright?" Cinna asked.

Peeta managed a nod. He needed to see Haymitch. He wanted to know if she would be okay and if he would end up the same way. "Is Haymitch here?"

Gale answered him, "He's in his office right now."

Cinna offered him a hand, "Would you like me to take you down there?"

Once again Peeta nodded, "Yes, please."

Haymitch ran his hands over his face. So far it had been a long day. A knock at the door made him groan slightly, but he called for them to come in anyway. Peeta entered and sank down into one of the available chairs. His face was pale and the light that usually shined in his eyes was gone. "Peeta, is everything okay?"

Peeta shook his head and closed his eyes, "She started talking about having to win the games so that she could go home to her sister. I tried to explain to her that it wasn't real, but that only seemed to make things worse." He took a deep breath and his blue eyes landed on Haymitch, "Will that happen to me too? Are we ever going to get better?"

Haymitch wanted to tell him that everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't lie to the kid. The truth was that he had no idea. "Peeta, you have to understand something. You and Katniss are the first ones to ever come out of this and…"

Peeta cut him off, "But in the article, it said that most kids snap out of it fairly quickly. Why did she start talking like that again? It's not like we took the stupid drug again so why?"

"Most kids do return to normal after the effects of the drug have worn off, but for a few…there has been no cure. They are trapped in the world that the drug created for them. I believe it has to do with a person's experiences. All of the cases that I have encountered, including you, have had horrific or tragic things occur in their lives. I don't know why she would start regressing, but it might have just been an episode. We will have to see what happens when she wakes up." Peeta stood to leave, but Haymitch called out to him one last time, "Peeta, she will be okay." He didn't respond, just turned for the door and let himself out.

Cinna sat next to Katniss for a while as she slept. She was constantly tossing and turning, and her body would spasm every once in a while. Eventually, they had to strap her down for fear of her hurting herself or others. Haymitch had joined him for a little while before his group session and Peeta had asked to see her as well, but Haymitch wouldn't allow it. He was worried about Katniss' reaction if she woke up.

After hours of restless sleep he saw her eyes begin to flutter. He wanted her to see a friendly face when she finally opened her eyes, so he took her hand in his and leaned forward. A few minutes passed before her gray eyes opened and focused on him. "Hello, Katniss. How are you feeling?"

A tear slipped from her eye and slid down her cheek before landing on her pillow, "I don't know what's real."

He wiped the wetness from her cheek with his finger, "I know sweetheart, but I promise that Dr. Abernathy is trying to help you, and I will help you in any way that I can."

"Where's Peeta?"

Cinna smiled, "He is in group therapy right now. He wanted to be here with you, but Dr. Abernathy wasn't sure how you would react when you woke up. If you want, I can see if he can come in when he's done."

"Please," she whispered.

Cinna was use to her strong will and fiery personality so to hear her speak in such a timid voice was disheartening, "Of course sweetheart. I'll be back soon." She looked so small and helpless at the moment that Cinna could feel his heart break for her. When he closed the door behind him he could hear her break down into quiet sobs.

Peeta left the group therapy session with the urge to punch someone. Haymitch asked him to remain quiet about what he knew, but it was hard when Rue was cuddling up to his side asking why Katniss wasn't here. Her sweet, innocent little face was filled with sorrow at the absence of her friend. This of course caused Glimmer and Clove to harass her. Thresh and Peeta were able to make them back off, but she wanted Katniss.

He asked Haymitch if he could bring Rue along to see her, but he said that it would be better if he went alone right now. The last thing they needed was for Katniss to freak out on Rue. He raised his hand and softly knocked on the door, waiting for Katniss to tell him it was okay. He barely heard her call for him to come in and once he opened the door and saw her he immediately went to her side. In the short time that she had been here, he had never seen her look so meek. She was almost childlike, the way that she curled into his side; it reminded him of Rue earlier.

He held her for a while before she broke the silence, "My sister is dead, real or not real?"

He sighed and squeezed her closer. His voice was rough and all he could manage was a weak, "Real."


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry this chapter is back to being a little short, but there is a little more introduced here. As always, I would love your opinions and feedback. Also, I didn't make you wait a whole month for another chapter, so yay me! Enjoy**

Katniss and Peeta sat with Cinna and Portia in the cafeteria later that night. Rue and Thresh had joined them earlier, but once they realized that Katniss and Peeta weren't really there, they left. It was Peeta who finally broke the silence, "How long have we been here?"

Cinna and Portia exchanged a glance before she answered, "Well, you have been here for about a year, Peeta. Your father brought you in. Katniss, you've only been here for a couple of weeks."

Peeta was surprised, "My father brought me?" Portia nodded and he continued, "I haven't seen him since I was a kid."

It was Cinna who responded this time, "He saved you from your mother. He found out about her beating you and had her arrested. He's been by several times to check on you."

"What about my mom? Has she been to see me? I don't really remember much."

Once again Cinna and Portia exchanged a look before he finally answered her, "No Katniss, your mother hasn't come to visit you."

She was about to ask why when Haymitch came in. Portia sighed in relief at not having to explain exactly why her mother hadn't come to see her. Cinna approached Haymitch and whispered in his ear before turning back to Katniss, "Sweetie, it's time to turn in. The two of you have a big day tomorrow."

"What are we doing?" Peeta asked.

Haymitch motioned for them to follow him and began explaining once they were in the hallway, "I have some memory tests that I would like to perform. After Katniss' episode yesterday, I decided that the best way to prevent that from happening again would be to try and retrieve your memories."

Peeta asked the question on both of their minds, "Can that be done?"

Haymitch shrugged, "Like I said, this is new territory. I know that memories can be retrieved, but because of the effects of this drug, it might be harder to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated." Katniss gave a frustrated huff causing Haymitch to laugh, "It's not going to be easy, but I promise that I'm going to do my best to help you. Do you trust me?"

It was Katniss and Peeta's turn to exchange a look before they nodded in unison. They dropped Katniss off at her room and continued on to Peeta's. Before Haymitch could walk away he was stopped by Peeta, "Haymitch? The other day, when Katniss was having her episode, she was talking about snow. It seemed to upset her. Do you have any idea what that was about?"

Haymitch froze. _'I'd be careful Doc. The snow is falling and you might catch your death.' _He still didn't know what it meant, but if Katniss was talking about snow too, then there had to be a connection. He realized that Peeta was still waiting for an answer, "I'm not sure, Peeta. I'm going to try and figure it out though, I promise." Peeta nodded at his response and entered his room without another word. Haymitch's eyes wandered over to Katniss' door and he started to take a step in that direction, but stopped himself. He would talk to her about it tomorrow. Turning on his heel, he went to his office to finish the last of his paperwork before heading home.

There was a loud knock followed by the door quietly sliding open. The office was currently shrouded in darkness and the light that infiltrated the room caused him to hiss. "Sorry boss. We have a lead on the girl."

The pain the light caused his eye was forgotten at that statement, "Where is she?"

"We think she's in the Panem Mental Institution."

A smile spread across his face. He knew why she was there; he was the one who injected her with his drug. Somehow, she had escaped him afterwards and he was afraid that she would rat him out, but apparently he didn't need to worry about that. She was now rotting away in Panem, and no one that ended up there after taking the Tracker Jacker drug had ever left. He still wanted to ensure that she wasn't a threat, "I want you to make sure. If it is her, set up a time for me to visit her."

"Sir?" came the reply.

"I would like to speak to her." The man nodded and left, closing the door behind him and returning him to blessed darkness. "I'll be seeing you soon, Katniss."

Plutarch was once again manning the front desk when the doors opened and in stepped a man with jet black hair and pale green eyes. He was dressed in all black and had a scar that went from his left temple to just below his ear. There was a tattoo on his right wrist of a snowflake that really stood out on this rather tough looking man. After his initial inspection of the man's appearance, he realized that he hadn't said anything yet, "Hello, can I help you?"

The man's deep voice resonated through Plutarch, "Yes, I'm looking for Katniss Everdeen. I was told that she was brought in here."

Plutarch knew that Katniss' admittance wasn't confidential so he didn't feel that it would hurt anything to tell him the truth, "Yes sir, she is here."

"What can you tell me about her condition?" Those pale green eyes seemed to bore into Plutarch, making him shift in his seat.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give out information about our patients except to family members. Are you family?"

The way the man's eyes narrowed sent shivers down Plutarch's spine. He was starting to feel very uncomfortable and silently prayed that someone else would come out here. "I'm not family, but I represent an old friend of hers who would like to set up a time that he can come and visit with her."

Plutarch was about to answer when another voice beat him to it, "Well, if you give me your employers name then I can ask Katniss if she would like to speak with him. Otherwise, I'm sorry, but without express permission from Katniss, there will be no visitors."

A growl erupted from the man's throat and he stalked closer to Haymitch, "I'll be back."

Haymitch gave him a condescending smile, "Visiting hours are from 9am to 4pm. Make sure that when you do come back, that it's during those times."

Plutarch had his hand over the call button for the orderlies. The death glare that the man was giving Haymitch was causing his skin to crawl. After a few moments of trying to stare down Haymitch, who maintained a smile, the man stormed out the doors. Plutarch released a breath and collapsed back in his chair. Haymitch turned to him, "Well, that was interesting." Plutarch simply nodded his head in response so he continued, "If anyone else comes in asking about visitation with Katniss Everdeen, I want to hear about it. No one is to see her until they talk to me first. Is that understood?"

"Understood. What do you think that was about anyway?"

Haymitch's eyes seemed to cloud over, "I don't know."


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay so I decided to post this so soon because of the long wait I put you guys through before. This chapter is a little darker, but you get to see a little more of Glimmer. Enjoy**

Seeder once again found himself outside Panem Mental Institution. After his failed attempt to get to Katniss a few days ago, he decided that it would be best to break in. Luckily for him, there was an entranceway in the basement that would allow him access with minimal work. It only took a few tries to jimmy the window open and he was able to pass his bulk through the frame without causing himself much damage. Getting to Katniss without being noticed would be the hard part.

He easily navigated his way through the corridors and found a pair of scrubs that he could use to pass as an orderly. He didn't have any problems passing by unseen until one of the orderlies decided to take a closer look at him. The man's brown eyes locked on his for mere moments, but it was long enough to cause him to duck into an empty room before too many alarms could go off in the man's head. He was here for one reason and one reason only. Katniss.

By chance, he stumbled upon the group therapy session for the hijacked victims. Looking through the window he spotted a head of brown hair braided to the side, but he couldn't be sure that it was her. He did however see another familiar face.

* * *

Katniss was pissed to say the least. Glimmer had once again started in on Rue and she couldn't take it anymore. They were standing about two feet away from each other, screaming at the top of their lungs when something over Katniss' shoulder caught her eye and the scowl on Glimmer's face disintegrated along with all the color she had. Katniss watched as tears filled her eyes and she collapsed on the ground screaming 'Don't hurt me!' and clutching her knees to her chest.

She chanced a glimpse over her shoulder to see what had caused the sudden change in Glimmer and her eyes met with pale green ones. She couldn't remember the man's name, but she recognized the face. She could feel herself start to shake and she knew that she would be following in Glimmer's footsteps. Katniss barely registered as Haymitch also noticed their unwelcome visitor and immediately yelled for Gale and Boggs to chase the man down. She dropped to her knees as a memory invaded her mind and blocked out everything else.

_She had been interning for about a week and still hadn't graduated from grabbing coffee and donuts. Her boss was a little creepy and kept starring at her whenever she would walk by, but she figured that it was all part of the job. She could quit, but this was an amazing opportunity that was only offered to one high school student a year and she had been lucky enough to get picked. _

_She was working late that night because Hazelle had a meeting to prepare for. Unfortunately, working late meant that she would have to run coffee up to the boss. It was around 6 pm that Hazelle sent her upstairs with a large cup of black coffee, and told her that she could leave as soon as she had given it to him. _

_She made her way down to his office. She didn't see any lights on, but she could hear noise coming from inside. She knew that the boss suffered from severe migraines so she knocked gently before letting herself in. Her eyes grew wide and the coffee slipped from her fingers to spill across the floor. In front of her was her boss and another man. They had a girl in between them, crying and begging them to stop. Katniss noticed that her eye was swollen shut and blood was seeping from her mouth. The girl's blond hair was wrapped around the other man's fist and her boss had one of his hands around her throat. They both turned toward her and she ran. She didn't stop until she had made it home. She called the police who promised that they would check into it. _

Two months later Prim was killed. She had a nagging feeling that what she witnessed had something to do with her death. She would have closed up completely if she hadn't looked up and focused on the blond haired girl before her. Everything started to click as she listened to Glimmer's gut-wrenching sobs. The way that she reacted to the man outside the door, the way she was clutching at her head reminded her of Peeta the first day that they had group therapy together, and finally her words. It was Glimmer that she saw that day.

* * *

Glimmer enjoyed toying with Rue because it would rile up Katniss. Her self-righteous attitude made her an easy mark, though she had to admit that Katniss was a little intimidating. She wasn't used to people standing up to her and she hated to lose. That is why she was currently in a screaming match with Rue's self-appointed guardian.

A face appeared through the window of the door, drawing her eyes. Shaggy black hair adorned his head and his pale green eyes were locked on hers. It was the sneer that caused her to go into shock. Images flooded her mind and she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. Her legs seemed to give out on her and she collapsed. She wanted to run away, but couldn't get her legs to work. All she could do was hope he would go away. Gripping her knees and pulling them to her chest, she began to chant 'Don't hurt me' over and over again.

_She was leaving the shelter that night after waiting in line for the last few hours. She would have to sleep in the park again tonight. They had given out sandwiches to everyone that was waiting so at least she wouldn't go hungry. _

_She had just crossed over District Street and was nearly to the park when a black sedan pulled up next to her. The windows were tinted and she couldn't see who was inside. She was ready to walk away when the window started lowering and a man's voice called out to her, "Did you need a ride my dear?" _

_She tried to catch a glimpse of the man, but it was dark inside the vehicle, "Uh…actually I'm just going to the park." _

_"It's a little late for a stroll don't you think?" came the soft reply._

_She shifted uncomfortably. She didn't want to tell them about her pathetic life, but she needed to tell them something, "Oh…well…I'm meeting a friend of mine."_

_The door opened, causing her to jump back, "Now my dear, you and I both know that you are lying. Get in."_

_She turned to see if anyone was watching, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist and another wrapped around her head, clamping her mouth shut. She was pulled into the car felt a stabbing pain in her upper thigh. The car pulled up to a three story office building and she was dragged into an elevator. Everything was fading in and out, and she was having a hard time focusing. _

_She could feel the sting of a fist connecting with her face. She was vaguely aware that she had been asked a question, but she couldn't figure out what the question was. There were two voices in the room, but they sounded muffled. Every time they would talk it would be followed by a punch to her face or a kick to her abdomen. Finally, a face appeared before her, but all she could make out in the darkness was the way their lips curled up into a sneer before the sound of something ripping caught her attention. _

_She could feel hands all over her body and she tried to push them away, but they were strong and her arms weren't working properly. Something twisted in her hair, ripping her head back while pain erupted in her lower half. She was crying and begging for them to stop, but her request was met with more pain. A hand clamped down on her throat and her breathing became labored. She tried to cry out, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. A small ray of light appeared, and she prayed that someone had come to help her. She heard one of them curse before a sharp pain erupted in her temple and she was descending into darkness. _


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry I've been taking forever in between updates, but life sucks sometimes. Thank you for those of you who have reviewed and I answered one review in private, but just in case anyone else was wondering Seeder is a man because I wanted him to be. Enjoy**

Gale and Boggs returned twenty minutes later after thoroughly searching the grounds for the man Haymitch had seen. Glimmer had become extremely violent after her breakdown, dislocating Cato's shoulder and kicking Peeta across the room. It took Cinna, Portia, and Haymitch several minutes to restrain her before they were finally able to sedate her. Haymitch was rewarded with a bite to the hand and Cinna had scratches along his arms and face. Haymitch was glad that Katniss hadn't freaked out as well. She was able to remain calm and had even comforted Rue.

When Katniss explained the memory she experienced involving the man in the window and Glimmer it made Haymitch sick. The police reports stated that Glimmer had been raped, but he didn't know any details. She had been brought here as soon as she was released from the hospital because of her reaction to the Tracker Jacker drug she had been injected with.

A soft knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He had a private session with Peeta right now and he needed to focus. He called out for Peeta to come in and opened the folder in front of him. Portia entered with Peeta following closely behind. His normally azure eyes were dilated to the point where they appeared almost black and his posture was tense.

Peeta lowered himself into the chair across from Haymitch who bristled under the intense gaze that was fixed on him. He shuffled the papers in his hand and cleared his throat to begin, "How are you doing Peeta?"

Peeta maintained his gaze for a few moments before responding, "I'm fine. Tired of waiting, but fine."

Haymitch's brow furrowed in confusion, "Waiting for what?"

Peeta scoffed and finally looked away, "It's bad enough knowing that you're going to die for the enjoyment of others, but they keep putting it off and I just want to get it over with. I know I'm going to die so what's the point of parading around like everything is okay?" His voice had become quiet near the end and Haymitch saw his shoulders sag.

Haymitch moved around his desk and took the seat beside Peeta, "Peeta, you're not going to die. Nobody is. The Hunger Games aren't real. You've been drugged...remember?"

Peeta's face scrunched up in confusion and his hands pulled at his hair. His body began rocking back and forth and Haymitch could tell that he was trying to keep it together. Haymitch reached out a hand to calm Peeta, but the moment it came into contact with his shoulder Peeta knocked it away and flew out of his seat. When Peeta turned to face him, his eyes were hard and he was snarling. Haymitch knew that he couldn't handle Peeta right now and shot his hand out for the call button on his phone. He felt Peeta's body crash into his immediately after his finger hit the button and he was thrown back into the filing cabinet. Pain erupted from his left temple as a fist connected with his face.

* * *

Effie was talking to Gale, Portia, and Boggs when the emergency buzzer from Haymitch's office sounded. Her eyes flew to the flashing light indicating that her husband was in trouble and she froze. It wasn't until she realized that she was alone that her feet began to carry her toward her husband's office. There was shouting coming from inside and she was surprised to see Gale fly back out of the door and hit the wall on the other side.

She moved to help him up and caught sight of Peeta and Boggs wrestling on the floor. Haymitch was groaning and clutching at his head with his left hand while using his right to try and push himself up. Portia was holding a syringe but wasn't able to get close enough to use it. Gale made it to his feet and between him and Boggs they trapped Peeta down long enough for Portia to sedate him.

As soon as Peeta was out, Effie ran to Haymitch's side. He leaned heavily into her and she nearly toppled under his weight. Once she had him seated in a chair, she reached up a shaky hand to gingerly stroke the bruise that was beginning to form on the left side of his face. One of his hands covered hers while the other moved to her face to wipe away the tears that she hadn't realized were falling.

* * *

Katniss sat next to Peeta's bed and absentmindedly brushed the hair back from his forehead with her finger tips. Her thoughts were focused on Glimmer and the memory that continued to play on a loop in her mind. Over the last few hours more snippets came to her. She remembered the police coming and threatening her for false reporting. She also remembered someone following her and Prim home. She couldn't remember specifics, but she was happy that her memories were starting to come back. Maybe if she could remember enough then she could figure out what really happened to Prim.

Katniss felt Peeta's head move under her hand causing her to jump slightly. Her eyes flew to his face and locked on his deep blue orbs. He smiled timidly and she felt herself relax. She couldn't explain what it was about this boy, but she felt safe when he was around. He had a calming presence and she felt drawn to him.

A smile found its way onto her face and she took his restrained hand in hers and whispered, "Hey."

He pulled at the restraints with his free hand and winced, "Katniss?"

She jumped up, "Hold on a second and I'll get Portia."

Without waiting for a response she made her way through the door. Portia was just rounding the corner when Katniss called out to her, "Portia!"

Portia smiled and made her way over to Katniss, "Hello, Katniss. Is Peeta awake yet?"

She nodded, "He just woke up. I was hoping you could remove his restraints."

"Of course dear."

Katniss kept her eyes on Peeta while Portia released him. Peeta didn't speak when Portia asked him questions, he would simply answer with a nod or shake of his head. This wasn't the Peeta that she had come to know. He was always to open and friendly. Now, he was acting more like her. Portia left after a few more minutes of trying to engage Peeta in conversation. She had to do her rounds, but promised to check on him before lights out.

Once she was gone Katniss moved to take the seat by his bed, but was stopped when he shook his head. Instead, he held out his arms and she curled into him without a second thought. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her hand and his warm arms wrapped tightly around her body. They remained quiet and she was nearly asleep when his soft voice broke the silence, "Katniss? Am I a monster?"

She jerked upright and stared into his eyes, "What!? What are you talking about?"

He looked away, unable to maintain eye contact, "I attacked Haymitch. I don't know why I did it. It was like I was there, but I wasn't."

"I know how that feels." She curled back into him, "You're not a monster, Peeta. Neither of us are. I don't know why this is happening to us, but we'll get through it together. Okay?"

He held her tighter, almost as if he was afraid that she would disappear. In all honesty, she was afraid to let him go. They needed each other right now. She had a feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better.


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm sorry for the delay in updating my stories. Life sucks right now, but I will try and get back on a normal updating schedule. I can't make any promises right now though. This chapter just goes into depth in Katniss's nightmares/memories and gives a little insight into Rue with a splash of Johanna. It is a little bit of a filler, but it does have pertinent information. Enjoy**

"_Did you find a new job?" _

_Katniss finished the first braid and moved to the other side to work on the second braid, "Not yet, little duck." _

_Prim shuffled slightly and her voice came out as a whisper, "What are we going to do?"_

_Katniss clenched her eyes shut and willed her voice to come out stronger than she felt, "We'll be okay, Prim. I will find another job." She placed the band around the completed braid and turned her sister around so that they were face to face, "I won't let anything happen to you, okay? Do you trust me?" _

_Prim nodded her head and wrapped her arms around Katniss' waist, "When is momma coming home?" _

_Anger erupted inside of Katniss and she fought the urge to throw the brush in her hand against the wall. Their 'mother' remarried nearly two months ago and has been absent ever since. Her new husband had no desire to be a father which meant that her and Prim were disposable. "I don't know, little duck. She is just enjoying her honeymoon." Katniss wanted to tell her that their mother had abandoned them, but Prim loved their mom and she wouldn't hurt her sister that way. _

"_It'll get better once momma is back. You won't have to worry so much about taking care of all of us." _

_She wanted to argue with the little girl, but she would learn soon enough how their mother really felt, and she didn't want to be the one to destroy the hopeful smile that was gracing her sister's face. Instead, she decided to distract her, "Hey, it's a beautiful day outside. Why don't we go out and play for a little while?" _

_Prim jumped up from her lap and began tugging on her sister's arm, "Come on, Katniss! Can we play hopscotch? Please?" _

_Katniss offered her sister a loving smile and allowed herself to be pulled out the door, "Of course, little duck. We can do anything you want." _

_The sun was beating down on them, warming the air, and bringing a smile to Katniss' face. She wanted to take to the woods for a while, but she wanted Prim to have some time to play and be a kid. Katniss has done her best to allow Prim to enjoy her childhood, but it hasn't always worked out the way she wanted. Prim acted older than her years and had been forced to grow up faster than she should have. She vowed that today they would just enjoy themselves. _

_She didn't want to have to worry about everything that had gone wrong the last two months. She was still afraid of what she had seen in her former boss's office, but thankfully they had chosen to leave her alone. She continued to have nightmares about that night, but refused to breakdown on Prim. She was all her sister had. _

_The sound of tires squealing broke her from her reverie. This wasn't the best neighborhood, but it remained mostly quiet so the sound was enough to draw anyone's attention. The large red car that came into view started her heart racing for some unknown reason. She noticed the window lowering and her eyes flew to Prim. Something was wrong and she needed to get her sister out of here. Her feet were moving, but everything seemed to slow down. Prim looked up into her eyes and her smile began to fade at what she saw. "_Katniss?" _A gun emerged from the window and the first shot rang out. "_Katniss!" _She wanted to call out to her, tell her that she was coming, tell her to get down, anything, but her voice wasn't working. She stretched her arms out to grab her sister just as more shots sounded around them. They hit the ground and Katniss used her body to envelop her sister to protect her. _

_When the car rounded the corner she finally lifted herself up enough to check on Prim. Blood covered her chest and her eyes were vacant. Katniss tried covering the wounds to stop the blood, but she was too late. Broken sobs escaped her and she tugged Prim's body to her own. She wasn't sure how long she sat there when a voice broke through, "_KATNISS_!"_

* * *

Peeta was sleeping peacefully for the first time in months. His nightmares seemed to be held at bay for the time being and he was enjoying it. It was when a hand slammed down onto his stomach that he woke. Katniss was thrashing around in the bed next to him and he could see tear tracks streaming down her face. "Katniss?"

She didn't respond to her name so he decided to try to shake her awake. Her eyes remained closed and his shaking only seemed to agitate her further so he tried to call out to her again, "Katniss!" Her thrashing calmed, but her body was shaking uncontrollably and her sobs increased in volume. For a moment he considered calling out to Portia or Cinna, but he wanted to try and help her first. He didn't want them to take her away and sedate her. If her dreams were causing her this much distress then the last thing she needs is to be forced to continue them. "KATNISS!"

Finally, her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. Before he could brace himself she lunged at him and wrapped her arms around him so tight that he had difficulty breathing, but he wasn't about to ask her to loosen her grip. If this is what she needed then he would give it to her.

* * *

Rue sat silently in the corner of the television room with her brother keeping watch from the sofa. It really wasn't necessary since Glimmer was on lock down for fighting with the other tributes and Cato was in recovery from her attack. She was scared of the others, but those two posed the biggest threat. Clove, Enobaria, and Brutus mostly followed Cato's lead, and without him they were fairly tame.

She was hoping to see Katniss. She was nice and made Rue feel safe and loved. She knew that they would be pitted against each other when the games started, but she wanted to spend as much time with Katniss as possible before then. Her mother had been killed when she was little and she didn't really remember her, but the way she felt around Katniss is what she imagined it would feel like to have a mom. She knew that Thresh loved her, but it wasn't the same.

The doors opened to reveal Johanna and the twins. How she could stand to be around them was anybody's guess. They were annoying and they smelled really bad. She was always told to be nice to others, but it's hard to be nice when you wanted to throw up every time they came near. She watched as the three of them conversed at one of the open tables before Johanna got up and made her way over to Rue's corner. Thresh fixed Johanna with a glare that earned him a smirk in return.

They sat in silence for a while before curiosity got the better of her, "What were you talking to the twins about?"

Johanna didn't even glance in her direction as she answered, "Just sizing up the competition. It doesn't hurt that their smell will make them easy targets."

Rue shivered and was about to turn away when a large scar on Johanna's arm caught her eye. Tentatively, she reached her hand out and traced the scar tissue, "What is that from?"

Johanna froze under her touch and pulled her arm away to see what she was talking about. It was about four inches long and ran down the length of her right forearm, starting just under her elbow. Rue watched her brow furrow as she took in the raised flesh. It was almost like she didn't know it was there. Finally, she answered in a shaky voice, "I don't remember." It was the first time that she had ever seen Johanna look unsure about anything. She finally shook herself and tried to wave it off, "It's probably nothing, munchkin. I gotta go meet with Effie. Talk to you later." Rue watched her walk away, unconsciously rubbing her arm.


	16. Chapter 16

**Here is the next chapter and I am going to say sorry ahead of time. Enjoy**

Katniss awoke the next morning with Peeta's arm draped across her stomach. It was a strange feeling, having someone hold her, but comforting all the same. He was warm and the way he held her made her feel protected for once. She had spent years protecting Prim and never once regretted it, but to have someone else protecting her felt nice. She remembered waking up last night and Peeta lulling her back to sleep. He didn't push her to talk about her dream and she was grateful. It was one thing to know that Prim is dead, but a whole nother to see it. It made her almost wish that she could go back to the ignorance that came from the tracker jacker drug.

A soft knock, followed by Cinna's head appearing in the doorway had Katniss stirring, "Good morning, Katniss. Sleep well?" he asked with a pointed look at Peeta.

She felt her face flush, which was out of character for her. She knew what this must look like, but to her it was merely comfort, "I had a nightmare. Peeta helped me."

He smiled knowingly, "It's okay, but I can't let it become a habit. The two of you have been through so much lately, and I know that you feel more comfortable when your with each other, but we can't allow patients to sleep together."

Her eyes grew wide, "We weren't...I mean we didn't...We were just..."

He chuckled softly, "I know, dear. Why don't you join me for breakfast? We'll let Peeta sleep a little longer."

She nodded and gently removed herself from Peeta's embrace, feeling the loss immediately. It was a quiet walk toward the cafeteria, which she was thankful for. She liked Cinna, but she wasn't one to share. Peeta was the only one she felt comfortable talking to right now. Haymitch was trying to get her to open up, but she still couldn't bring herself to really talk to him. It was mostly generic conversation when she had her sessions. She knew that if she wanted to get better that she would have to talk to Haymitch, but until she could get her thoughts straight, she wouldn't be able to share them with him.

Her contemplative silence was interrupted by a loud crash from the common room. Her head jerked in the direction of the noise just as Cinna took off down the hall. It only took her a second to follow him, wondering what happened. When she entered the common room her heart stopped. Johanna had clove pinned against the wall with a broken piece of glass against her throat. At their feet was Rue, with a gash in her head and blood was pooling around her tiny body. She willed her feet to move toward her little friend and eventually made it. She tuned out everything but the girl in her arms. She could barely make out the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Her eye lids fluttered softly and a moan escaped her lips. Relief flooded through her and grew stronger when one of the nurses, Octavia, showed up with a stretcher and took her friend, assuring her that she would be okay.

It wasn't until she knew that Rue would be okay that she turned her attention back to the others in the room. Johanna and Clove were both being hauled off, Portia was knelt down beside her picking up glass off the floor, and Cinna was coming toward her with a worried expression on his face, "Katniss? Honey, we need to take you to the infirmary." Her face screwed up in confusion. At first she thought he meant to see Rue, but when he sat next to her on the ground he gently touched her knees. Her gaze followed and she stared in surprise at the glass shards that had embedded into her knees when she dropped down next to Rue.

There was no pain. She couldn't even feel it, "Oh." She stood on shaky legs, finally feeling the glass when she tried to take a step. Thankfully, Cinna was there to help her. When they reached the infirmary, she was placed on a bed next to Rue whose face was starting to show signs of bruising. Katniss could feel tears welling up and she tried to fight it. All she could think at the moment was, _What the hell happened?_

* * *

Peeta awoke to an empty bed. If it weren't for the smell of Katniss's shampoo lingering on his pillow with one long brown where her head had rested, he would have thought it all a dream. Sleeping with Katniss helped to keep the nightmares at bay for the most part, and the ones that did emerge weren't nearly as bad as they have been. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same for her. She woke up screaming in the middle of the night and all he could do was hold her. He wished that he had been able to give her more comfort, but what he did seem to work.

He stretched his body and felt his spine and neck crack a few times. He was surprised that no one had woken him up yet. Usually, Portia would have been here already. Rather than let it bother him, Peeta decided to look at the bright side. At least he got to sleep in. Unfortunately, once he stepped outside his door he realized that his being allowed to sleep had nothing to do with kindness. It was a necessity.

There were orderlies rushing around and it looked like utter chaos. An unearthly growl eminated from the right and Peeta turned to see Thresh engaging three orderlies. They were trying to take him down, but Thresh was too strong. One of the orderlies was thrown into the wall, cracking the wood along one of the door frames and he fell unconscious. Peeta moved towards the three men and was stopped by Thresh's yell of "RUE!". It was feral and anguished, and had Peeta moving to help the big man. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he needed to know what was going on.

Apparently the one orderly that was left standing, the other now lying on the ground groaning after a devastating blow, realized that he wouldn't be able to fight the behemoth tried to reason with him. Thresh wasn't listening though. Peeta stepped in just before Thresh could do any more damage. Another growl escaped from Thresh before he rounded the corner toward the infirmary leaving Peeta with the remaining orderly. He turned to the frightened man, "What the hell is going on?"

The orderly flinched at the volume of Peeta's voice and barely choked out an answer, "Th...there w...w...was a f...f...fight. The lit...tle one was hurt." Peeta didn't need to hear anymore and was off toward the infirmary before the sentence was finished. There was even more commotion down one of the halls, but his focus was on getting to Rue. He had a feeling Katniss was probably already with her and would be able to explain what had happened. He wasn't prepared for what he found when he got there.

Rue was laying on a hospital bed with blood covering her tiny body. With the distruction around the room and the tentative glances from the nurses to Thresh's massive form, Peeta figured that they probably tried to keep Thresh out, but had relented rather than face physical harm. He tried to step inside, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. He turned to see Cinna and Katniss with tears in their eyes. Cinna's soft voice shook slightly as he moved to speak, "She's hurt pretty bad. They need to work on her and they can't do that with anyone else in there." Peeta followed Cinna's eyes as they took in Thresh's distraut face. He knew what Cinna was trying to say. They already had to worry about working around Thresh, they didn't need anymore distractions.

Warmth spread through his left hand and he looked down to find Katniss' small hand holding his. She needed his strength right now, and if he was being honest, he needed her's too. Cinna suggested moving to the cafeteria and Peeta reluctantly followed, pulling an equally reluctant Katniss with him. None of them were particularly hungry, but it seemed as good a place as any.


	17. Chapter 17

**Here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy, and thank you to all who have reviewed, followed, and favorited. I love hearing your thoughts and suggestions!**

Johanna woke up in a sweat. She was never one for nightmares, but lately her dreams had been plagued with visions of her family being tortured to death. They had been occuring more frequently and it had her on edge. She knew her family was okay since she remembered them being at the reaping, but something didn't seem right about the memory and she couldn't put her finger on it. Rather than think about it she decided to head to the common room for a while. Some of the other tributes were good for a laugh and she really needed one right now.

The halls were fairly quiet so it was easy to hear the voices coming from the common room. She was nearly to the door when she heard Clove's voice, "There's nobody here to save you this time." There was a loud crash and Johanna opened the door just in time to see Rue fall to the ground with blood flowing from a wound on her head. Her dream came back full force and instead of Rue she saw her little sister.

It wasn't a conscious decision to move her feet, and before she knew it she was standing in front of Clove with one of the shards from the broken vase in her hand. She knew that tributes weren't supposed to fight prior to the games, but she really wanted to kill Clove at the moment. The only thoughts in her mind at the moment were of her family, screaming and begging for her to save them and it gave her the strength to push her makeshift knife closer to Clove's throat.

Large hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her away from Clove and the glass shard was removed from her hand by Portia. She didn't want to be pulled away. She didn't want them to stop her. Clove was trying to kill her sister! She needed to save Amelia! She threw her head back and the sickening crunch sound convinced her that she had gotten their nose. The grip loosened for a moment, but it was still tight enough to prevent her from escaping. She decided to change tactics and hunched over trying to pull the person behind her onto her back, but they anticipated her move and pushed forward so that both of their bodies landed on the tile floor. The air pushed from her lungs and she had a hard time catching her breath. She used the images from her nightmares to give her strength and let out a scream, pushing off the floor at the same time. The body on top of her fell to the side, giving her the break she needed to get free.

It was a short lived freedom because others were joining their struggle and she found herself once again on the floor. Gale, who had blood dripping down his face, exposed her hip and inserted a needle into her flesh. She continued to struggle for a few more moments until everything started getting dark and fuzzy. She didn't want to sleep. Sleeping meant blood and death. Eventually, her struggling stopped and everything went black.

* * *

Seeder entered the darkened office and stopped before his bosses desk. The only light came from the monitor in the corner which rotated between the surveillance feeds and he could see several large crates being delivered downstairs. He knew what they were. They were the newest shipment of Tracker Jacker. Distribution had increased exponentially over the last few months, and they recently had to expand their manufacturing plant to keep up with demand. To the outside world, his boss was a great humanitarian and a well respected member of the community. To anyone who knew the truth, he was a ruthless drug lord and a sadistic bastard.

"Well?" the voice of his boss drawled.

"I found the girl. She's not the only one there," Seeder answered him.

His boss tilted his head up and met his eyes, "What do you mean?"

A wicked grin crossed Seeder's face, "The blond that we broke in was there too. She broke down when she saw me."

His bosses eyes narrowed, "She recognized you?"

Seeder shifted nervously before answering, "I think part of her recognized me, but I don't think it was conciously. She just freaked out and broke down."

"What about Katniss? Did she recognize you as well?"

"I don't think so. I was gone before she could even look my way."

He watched his boss run a hand through his stark white hair. At first glance you would think the man seated in front of him was weak, but he knew better. This man was a cold blooded killer and was not to be taken lightly, "I want you to put someone into place at Panem. I want them watched. We can't have them remembering what happened; now can we?"

Seeder shook his head, "I will take care of it."

His boss stood from his chair and stopped right next to Seeder's body, causing a cold chill to crawl up his spine, "Make sure that you do, or I will have to take matters into my own hands."

* * *

Haymitch was exhausted. For hours he has been running around Panem trying to restore order. Rue was unconcious, Clove and Johanna were in lock down, Katniss had thankfully remained lucid, and Thresh refused to leave his sister's side. Cato was released to his room a few minutes ago, but he had to keep his arm in a sling for a little while longer. All hell was breaking loose, and it was wearing on him. He visited with Clove, but she refused to talk. It was his conversation with Johanna that was informative.

_He walked into the room where Johanna was being restrained to a bed, her eyes were closed, but he knew she was awake. "Hello, Johanna. Do you mind if we talk for a minute?" _

_Her eyes opened and slowly met his, "I really screwed up today, huh?"_

_He sat in the chair next to her bed, "Why do you say that?" _

_She rolled her eyes, "Because I attacked another tribute, but in my defense, she attacked Amelia first. I was just defending her."_

_His brow raised, "Amelia?" _

_She froze for a second before responding, "I meant Rue." Her face softened slightly, "How is she?"_

_"She's unconcious right now. She has a fractured skull and there is a slight bit of swelling, but they think she will recover." He leaned forward in his chair and grasped her hand, "Johanna, who is Amelia?" _

_Her eyes slid closed once more and she let out a shaky breath, "She's my sister."_

_"Did something happen to her? Is that why you said her name instead of Rue's?" he asked. _

_She shook her head, "No, she was at the reaping. She's fine." She took a deep breath and continued in a soft voice, "I've been having these nightmares. Someone was torturing me and my family. I was having one this morning, and when I saw Rue I guess it just brought it back." _

_Haymitch nodded in understanding, "You saw your sister instead of Rue." She simply nodded. "Can you tell me anything more about these nightmares, or your family?" _

_She shook her head, "Why bother? That's not why I'm here. I'm here to win and talking about my family isn't going to help me do that."_

_"It would help me understand a little more. Maybe if you could..."_

_"I said I don't wanna talk about it! Leave me alone!" she screamed and began fighting against the restraints. He tried to calm her down by telling her that he would drop it, but she was too far gone now. Gale appeared and sedated her once again. _

It was frustrating, knowing that the nightmare Johanna described was most likely a memory. I would explain a lot. A knock on the door brought him back to the present, "Come in."

Effie stuck her head in and gave him a timid smile. She was upset over Rue, and he hated to see her sad. "I just wanted to let you know that I was headed home, and I wanted to see how you were doing."

He gave her a tired smile and reached out for her to come join him. After she settled herself down on his lap he explained what was going on in his head. "I talked to Johanna. I think I might know what happened to her."

She was obviously surprised by this bit of news. Johanna wasn't exactly a sharer, "Do you mean you know what happened today, or what happened to land her here?"

"Both. She's been having nightmares, just like Peeta and Katniss. In her nightmares, someone was torturing her and her family, so when she woke up and saw Clove attack Rue she immediately thought about her sister."

A gasp left her lips, "Poor dear. So, you think that her nightmares really happened?" He nodded. She adjusted herself on his lap and he could see tears slowly falling down her cheeks, "What do we do? Does she know it's real?"

He shook his head, "No. She still thinks her family is okay, and that she is a tribute. If I want her snap out of it, then I need to find proof just like I did with Katniss and Peeta. I just don't know how to do that since she wouldn't give me any information on her family. All I know is that her sister's name was Amelia."

Effie gently kissed his cheek and rubbed her hands up and down his back trying to calm him, "We'll figure it out. You were able to help Katniss and Peeta. I will see what I can find tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded and then let out a sigh, "Did I really help Katniss and Peeta, or did I just make it worse?"

She turned him so that she could look into his eyes, "You did help, and you will continue to help. I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
